


Drowning Problems Away

by Spiritdrop



Series: Bonefire [3]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Depressed Sans, Fluff, Grillby is the Best Boyfriend, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, M/M, Post-Pacifist Route, Prompt Fic, Reset mentions, Sans Needs A Hug, Suicidal Sans, Suicidal Thoughts, very little fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-23
Updated: 2017-04-23
Packaged: 2018-10-19 01:27:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10629309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spiritdrop/pseuds/Spiritdrop
Summary: Imagine Person A of your OTP has been depressed for a very long time, and after a particularly bad day they spend a long time in the bathtub, contemplating suicide/drowning themselves. Then Person B, after noticing Person A hasn’t been out for a really long while, decides to come in the bathroom and sit with person A until they are ready to get out.BONUS if Person B has known about Person A’s depression and knows that Person A might be suicidal, so they spend the whole time talking Person A out of committing suicide.Excerpt: "Sans felt like he should be happy... He is on the surface, he has an amazing boyfriend, his brother was living a happy life.... But for some reason Sans just felt like he wanted to curl up and cry when he thought about those things.It will all be taken away.No one will remember.Only me.I'm going to wake up in Snowdin again.I'll lose it all and I can't do anything about it."





	

**Author's Note:**

> So erm. Remember when I told you guys I was working on something fluffy? Haaaaah yeah. This is not it. I mean there's definitely a little bit of fluff in this.... But um. This is not it.. XD
> 
> Read the end notes if you would like to know a bit of and update on my posting schedule.

Imagine Person A of your OTP has been depressed for a very long time, and after a particularly bad day they spend a long time in the bathtub, contemplating suicide/drowning themselves. Then Person B, after noticing Person A hasn’t been out for a really long while, decides to come in the bathroom and sit with person A until they are ready to get out.  
BONUS if Person B has known about Person A’s depression and knows that Person A might be suicidal, so they spend the whole time talking Person A out of committing suicide.

\-------

  
Sans felt like he should be happy... He is on the surface, he has an amazing boyfriend, his brother was living a happy life.... But for some reason Sans just felt like he wanted to curl up and cry when he thought about those things.

_It will all be taken away._

_No one will remember._  
_Only me._

_I'm going to wake up in Snowdin again._

_I'll lose it all and I can't do anything about it._

Sans sighed heavily as he approached his and Grillbys' apartment door. After they got to the surface, Papyrus went to buy his own house and Sans ended up crashing with Grillby, but he does help pay for rent, so he's not a freeloader. They were even saving up for a house together. Grillby getting his money from the bar he owned on the surface and Sans getting his from the store he worked at.

When Sans entered the apartment, Grillby was sitting on the couch in baggy sweatpants and a random solid colored t-shirt watching a movie on the television. The skeleton flashed a weak smile as he headed past the elemental, just to show that he's 'okay' even though he wasn't. 

He quietly took off his jacket as Grillby called out to him, "How was work Sans?" 

Sans scoffed and muttered back, "Like it always is... A few less people decided to yell in my face today I guess." Sans continued to mess with his clothes, straightening them out and such as he spoke with Grillby. Honestly though, Sans didn't want to be communicating with anyone right now.

Grillby sighed, "Sans you should honestly just get a new job. I'd be happy to hire you at the bar you know." Sans sighed and just shook his head slightly. 

Grillby could tell something was wrong so he questioned Sans, "Hey Sans do you want to come watch TV with me?"

Sans hesitated for a second thinking over the invitation he would usually jump at. He knew Grillby would probably want to cuddle up next to him as they watched television, but he felt like he was just too.... detached right now to handle that. Even talking right now was causing him immense amounts of energy and it was pushing his limits a bit. He just wanted to be alone but he didn't want to completely blow Grillby off on cuddling on the couch or anything. After a inner debate within his mind, he thought up a nice way to buy himself some time to collect himself.

Sans' voice piped up, "I um. I wanted to take a bath actually. How about after we watch TV together?"

Grillby flashed Sans a small smile from over on the couch and nodded his head, "Okay. After."

Sans sighed, both relieved and disappointed. Relieved because he didn't have to socialize right now, but disappointed in himself because he couldn't even talk with his boyfriend.... Even when he knows he's right there for him. He just felt like he was constantly plaguing Grillby with his problems and making his life more difficult than it had to be. He kept thinking over those thoughts as he collected a change of clothes for after his bath.

_Everyone would be better off without me._

_He doesn't deserve to have someone like me constantly dragging him down._

Before long, Sans was carrying himself over to the bathroom and quietly shutting the door behind himself. He was too caught up in his thoughts and just moving on autopilot. He eventually found himself taking off his clothes and climbing into a tub of steaming water. Not hot enough to cause him damage but just to prove to himself he was there. In the water. But, the water didn't keep him in the moment, once he was in the tub, he found himself spacing out even more than before. He tried to keep his mind blank but... His thoughts kept coming back over and over, replaying in his mind like broken records. He tried to study the wall he was facing, trying to memorize every crack or dent in it but it didn't help. The thoughts still flowed through his mind. 

_Why does he put up with me?_

_I'm just a waste of space._

_He won't even remember any of this... So would it matter if I ended it?_

Soon that question was all that was going through his mind. Would it matter? Maybe.... But maybe not? It's not like Sans wouldn't return in the next inevitable reset.

Sans spent a long time just going over and over everything that could possibly come from him ending his life. He spent so long thinking about it he didn't notice how cold the water had gotten.

Maybe if he just disappeared it would be better for everyone.

_Maybe I could just drown myself. Without oxygen my magic will cut off and soon after my souls power... and it would be painless..._

He eyed the water he was sitting in.

No one would miss him for too long. Right?

A small break from everything seemed really nice to Sans. Even if it meant he would find himself back trapped underground. He was brought out of his thoughts by a small knock at the door. Then an all new thought came to him, did he even lock the door? He wanted to say yes but after a second he knew it was a no. He didn't respond to the knock and a certain flame edged the door open a bit.

Said flame poked his head in shyly, "Sans... You've been in the bathroom for over an hour now." Had he? Sans didn't know he had been in the water for so long. In fact, he was just coming to the realization the water wasn't even hot anymore.

Sans let out a small chuckle that clearly had no mirth behind it, "Heh. I uh. I guess I lost track of time." Grillby brought his full body into the bathroom now. He was ignoring the water hazard in the room as he quietly clicked the door shut. 

The elemental looked down at his boyfriend, "Sans.... What's wrong?" The skeleton didn't say anything for awhile instead he just brought his knees up to his chest in the tub.

After a pregnant pause, Sans finally said, "It's nothing. I'm fine. But you should leave I don't want to get you wet..."

_That would just give him another reason to hate me._

Grillby didn't leave the room. He knew something was horribly wrong with Sans right now, there was no way he was leaving him alone any longer.

Grillby sat down next to the tub of liquid death and gently spoke, "Can you please be honest? I know everything isn't okay. And that's fine... But I want to help you, Sans."

Sans just shrugged and stared off into space. Grillby shuddered a little. He hated it when Sans would do that, stare at nothing. It made him feel like his small boyfriend was slowly loosing touch with him. And by Asgore, he never wanted that...

Grillby's soft voice spoke up again, "Sans, I'm worried about you, you know?"

The smaller of the two monsters looked at the elemental. His full attention was now on him.

Grillby looked Sans straight in the eyes as he spoke, "I notice how you're just... Not there sometimes, mentally. Sans I know you have depression and I know it's hard on you but... I'm always here to talk to. I will put down the most important job if you ever need to talk to me. Just... Please tell me when you're not okay... It worries me so much to not see you smile, and for you to not tell me why." Sans was still staring at Grillby as his explanation finished. Neither of the two men said anything for awhile, Sans deciding to look away after a few minutes. 

Eventually the skeleton spoke, "I'm sorry." Grillby was taken aback by the apology. Sans shouldn't feel sorry. At least, that wasn't anywhere close to Grillbys' intent.

The elemental brought his voice to a normal level as he spoke, "Sans, don't feel sorry. I just want to know when you aren't okay. And you don't have to feel bad if you can't tell me. It's just... Something nice to know if I can help."

Sans kept facing the wall. He was whispering a small sentence to himself that Grillby could only make out as, "I'm pathetic..."

Grillby wasn't quite sure he was meant to hear it, but he did, so he quickly responded with, "No you aren't. You're not pathetic Sans. You're so much better than that. You're amazing. You're spectacular."

After what felt like the longest moment of silence yet this night, Grillby heard the soft noise of Sans sniffling in the tub. He instantly looked over and spotted that the skeleton was staring down at the bottom of the tub with tears running down his face, into the water.

Grillby was about to say something to comfort his boyfriend when he heard, "I- M-my-..." Sans struggled to find words for a second. Grillby waited patiently to hear everything his small boyfriend had to say. 

Sans was very hesitant but he started again anyway, "My depression... H-has, been getting worse." 

Grillby thought over the new knowledge. He had already known about Sans' depression and how he is when it's bad. Even though Sans had never admitted it straight out to him, with words, Grillby knew he was suicidal. The marks tracing from the edge of his bone on his arm to the other side was clear proof enough to him.

The flame quietly said, "It's okay, Sans. Things will get better..."

Sans just kept staring at the water, "What if they don't? What if I'm going to be miserable the rest of my life? What if I just end it? Would it even matter anymore?"

Grillby reacted to that instantly, "O-of course it would matter, Sans! Everything will be alright in the end you don't want to cut something as valuable as life short do you? Sans I-I love you I wouldn't be able to live without you in my life!"

Sans' teary eyes widened in surprise for a second at the way Grillby had said he loved him. Sure, both men had been dating for over a year now, but surprisingly neither of them have said "I love you" yet. But, well, there it was. Hanging in the air.

 _He shouldn't love me._  
But he does.

The skeletons voice was small and sounded like it was going to give out at any second because of crying but, Grillby could still hear him clear as day. He heard the way Sans meant every word when he muttered them, "I love you too..." And just like that, silence returned. It was quiet in the bathroom, enough to hear the small _plop_ the teardrops made falling from Sans' eyesockets into the once boiling water. It was a relaxed kind of quiet, with the two now knowing they both loved each other and had it out there, being spoken from their mouths, but even though they both knew this.... A small cloud of unease hung over the room too. Grillby kept wondering just how much Sans was hiding from him and how he feels... But on the other hand, Sans returned to his old thoughts, rerunning them over and over again but this time, every few thoughts he replayed Grillby's crackling voice,

_Why does he put up with me?_

_Why do I matter so much to him?_

_"I-I love you."_

He started to cling onto that sentence and invited the way it made him feel less-bad about himself.

And suddenly, Sans didn't want to end his life as much. Maybe it was because he had someone to live for, even if it was only until the next reset. Or maybe it was the way the flame had come into the bathroom, aware of the fact he could possibly get harmed by water but stayed anyway, just for him. But he still had a small piece of hope left in him that made him truly believe he still wanted to live. Believe he could live.

He shifted in the water slightly bringing the elemental sitting on the side of the tub back to awareness of his surroundings. Said elemental looked at Sans with questioning eyes until he realized the skeleton wanted to get out of the tub. Without a word to break the delicate peace, Grillby moved over so Sans could safely get out of the tub without causing harm to him. Maybe a minute after Sans was now standing in the bathroom, drying himself off with a towel and carefully placing clothes back onto his bare body.

After Sans was fully clothed, in a t-shirt and his normal shorts, Sans decided to fulfill his, implied, promise to Grillby from earlier that night and snuggle up with his space heater of a boyfriend on the couch to watch television. He felt comfortable being held in the flames arms on their small couch, his head resting against Grillbys' shoulder. Yeah, not everything was okay right now, but if it meant to Sans that he would still have his boyfriend there for him, ready to just snuggle with him until he was okay... That was fine. Sans fell into a peaceful sleep being cuddled on the couch, listening to the soft noise flames made, Grillby left there smiling down on him but soon joining him.

He would try to get better again.

And hey maybe this time....  
Maybe this time he would get better than ever, and it would stay.  
Maybe.

**Author's Note:**

> Ok so... That one time I told you guys I would try not to make you guys wait a week for one of my storys??
> 
> That um. Didn't work this week. Honestly I'm really sorry this took a week like someone just scream at me to write faster XD But I will keep trying to write when I have free time and know what I want to write. I do have classes to go to and homework to do though. XD
> 
> But it mainly took so long because as many of you may know, I have depression and it was really acting up this week and I have no idea why. So it took me awhile to actually be able to sit down and write something so sorry again. I hope I can write faster again and my depression isn't like, "Lol. Screw you."
> 
> Anyway,  
> Feedback, kudos, and comments are all welcomed!
> 
> Have a story idea in your mind and would like to see it written?  
> Just leave a comment on what you would like to see me write!  
> I read all the comments and would love to see what you guys like me writing so I know!  
> Feel free to comment anything undertale related for a fanfic idea, I don't judge!  
> You can give a recommendation of any characters but just a warning... I won't write foncest, Sans/Frisk, Papyrus/Frisk or any /Reader.... (I'm sorry...)  
> Have a nice day! <3
> 
> \-----  
> None of these characters are mine and they along with Undertale belong to Toby Fox. I do not claim these characters as mine.


End file.
